A union guide to Oregon’s November general election

If a candidate is listed in bold below, they’re backed by at least one labor organization. To keep a long list as short as possible, union-endorsed candidates who are running unopposed or against only token opposition are not listed.

You’ll see that unions sometimes didn’t agree: In some winner-take-all races, more than one candidate got support from at least one union.

Following each name is a list of union endorsers and a link to the campaign web site, if they have one. [We list all acronyms here and in a legend at the bottom.]

Congressional District 1 (NW Oregon)

Congressional District 2 (E Oregon)

Jamie McLeod Skinner is a city planner and former AFSCME member. She’s mounting the most serious challenge in years to 20-year incumbent Congressman Greg Walden, a Republican whose votes over the years have earned him a 23 percent lifetime rating from the national AFL-CIO. AFL-CIO, APWU, IBT, OEA, SEIU 503, UFCW, WFPJamieForOregon.com

Congressional District 5 (W Oregon)

STATEWIDE

Governor

Kate Brown, a Democrat, has been Oregon’s governor since John Kitzhaber resigned in February 2015. In 2015, Brown signed legislation giving Oregon workers the right to paid sick leave. In 2016, as unions considered two competing ballot measure proposals to raise the minimum wage,Brown met with business and labor leaders and crafted a compromise – raising the wage at different rates in different parts of the state. By 2022, the resulting legislation will raise wages to $14.75 in the Portland area, $13.50in the Willamette Valley and the North Coast, and $12.50 in rural Eastern Oregon. In 2017, Brown signed a $5.3 billion transportation funding package and laws cracking down on abusive scheduling practices by employers, barring local jurisdictions from passing antiunion “right-to-work” ordinances, and taxing health care providers to pay for the Oregon Health Plan. Her Republican opponent, state representative Knute Buehler, voted against all those laws. He also says he won’t sign any spending bills until the Legislature sends him a bill “reforming” Oregon’s PERS public pension system. He did not seek union endorsement. AFL-CIO, AFGE, AFT, OBTC, OEA, ONA, UFCW KateBrownForOregon.com

Measure 103

OPPOSE This measure, bankrolled by giant grocery chains, would amend the Oregon Constitution to bar any taxes on food or soda — and exempt the grocery industry from any future increases in the state’s minimum corporate income tax. Bear in mind there is no current tax on groceries, and no one is proposing one. Grocery union UFCW is not in favor; in fact, defeating Measure 103 is one of its top priorities this year.AFL-CIO, AAUP, AFSCME, AFT, ATU, OEA, ONA, OSEA, SEIU 49, 503, WFPNoOn103.org

Measure 104

OPPOSE This constitutional amendment is the latest in a long line of efforts to undermine majority rule and hamstring the ability of Oregon’s elected representatives to fund schools and public services. A 1996 ballot measure (which itself passed by 55 percent in a low-turnout primary) currently requires a 60 percent (three-fifths) supermajority vote in the legislature to raise taxes of any sort. Measure 104 would make it so that lawmakers would also need that same hard-to-obtain three-fifths supermajority to repeal or reform tax breaks. If it passes, it will make it harder for the legislature to reverse special interest tax loopholes that were a bad idea to begin with.AFL-CIO, AAUP, AFSCME, AFT, ATU, IAFF, OEA, ONA, OSEA, SEIU 49, 503, WFPNoOn104.org

Measure 105

OPPOSE This measure would repeal a 1987 state law that bars state and local law enforcement agencies from apprehending people SOLELY on suspicion that they may have violated federal immigration law. Back then, the law passed overwhelmingly, with support from both parties, in response to racial profiling by police, like a case in which Polk County sheriffs demanded that a U.S. citizen of Mexican descent prove he was in the United States legally. Under the law, local police are still arresting immigrants if they commit crimes. But Oregonians can’t be stopped, detained or interrogated just because someone thinks they might be an undocumented immigrant. AFL-CIO, OBTC, AFSCME, AFT, ATU, IBEW 48, ILWU 5, IUPAT, IW, LiUNA, OEA, ONA,OSEA, SEIU 49, 503, UBC, UFCW, WFPORunited.org

Measure 106

OPPOSE This constitutional amendment prohibits public funds from being spent on abortions in Oregon, except when medically necessary or required by federal law. It would impact two groups of Oregonians in particular: the 271,833 low-income women of reproductive age who are enrolled in the Medicaid-funded Oregon Health Plan, and the 77,344 women of reproductive age who get insurance through the Public Employees’ Benefit Board (PEBB) and Oregon Educators Benefits Board (OEBB). For the majority of PEBB and OEBB enrollees who are union members, those are benefits they bargained for.AFL-CIO, AFSCME, AFT, ATU, IAFF, ONA, OSEA, PAT, SEIU 49, 503, UFCW, WFP NoCutsToCare.com

Senate District 11 (Salem)

Senate District 13 (Keizer)

Sarah Grider, an educational assistant at Newberg School District, is president of OSEA Local 17 at Newberg High School. She’s challenging Republican incumbent Kim Thatcher. Grider lost the Democratic primary to Willamette law professor Paul Diller, but then he dropped out of the race, and she was named his replacement in a party nominating convention.AFL-CIO, AFT, OSEA, PCCFAP/PCCFCE, SEIU 49, UFCW, WFPSarahGrider.org

Senate District 26 (Hood River)

OREGON HOUSE

House District 2 (Roseburg)

Gary Leif, who was appointed to the office when fellow Republican Dallas Heard was appointed to fill the senate seat vacated by Jeff Kruse, faces a challenge from Democrat Megan Salter, a homemaker and former teacher. OBTCGaryLeif.com

House District 9 (Coos Bay)

Caddy McKeown may be the least labor-friendly Democrat in the House, and voted against minimum wage and other labor priorities. But she’s been a reliable backer of funding for K-12 and infrastructure. She faces a challenge from Republican community college instructor Teri Grier. AFL-CIO, OBTC, AFSCME, AFT, IAFF, IAM, OEA, ONA, SEIU, UA 290, UFCWcaddymckeown.com

House District 11 (Eugene)

House District 15 (Albany)

Jerred Taylor, a Democrat, was a supply chain manager until the solar manufacturer he worked for closed last year. He faces Republican straw farmer Shelly Boshart Davis and Independent Party candidate Cynthia Hyatt for the seat now held by Republican Andy Olson. AFSCME, AFT, IBT, ONA, OSEA, SEIU 49, 503, UFCW, WFPJerredTaylor.com

Julie Parrish, a campaign consultant, is the Republican incumbent, and was chief petitioner of a failed January 2018 ballot measure that aimed to undo the Legislature’s Medicaid funding mechanism. UFCWFacebook.com/Julie4Oregon

House District 39 (Oregon City)

Christine Drazan, a former top staffer to Republican legislative leaders, faces Democrat and farmer Elizabeth Graser-Lindsey for the seat currently held by Republican Bill Kennemer, who’s not seeking re-election. OBTCChristineForOregon.com

House District 55 (Powell Butte)

Mike McLane, a lawyer, is a Republican incumbent and the leader of House Republicans OBTCVoteMcLane.com

Karen Rippberger, a former public school teacher, is the Democratic nominee AFT, OEA, OSEA, WFPKaren4Oregon.com

METRO REGIONAL GOVERNMENT

Measure 26-199 Regional Affordable Housing Bond

SUPPORT Backed by a coalition of labor, business, faith, nonprofit and community groups, this housing bond was referred to voters by the Metro Council. It will build new affordable homes and renovate existing homes for over 7,500 people in the region in need of safe, affordable housing (or up to 12,000 people if the statewide Measure 102 passes as well.) NOLC, CPBTC, AFSCME 189 328, 3580, 88, AFT, , IAFF 43, IBEW 48, ONA, PAT, SEIU 49, 503, UBC, UFCW, WFPYesForAffordableHousing.com

Joe Buck is a Lake Oswego City Council member, owner of the Babica Hen Cafe in Lake Oswego and Dundee, and former board member of the local chamber of commerce. He got 38 percent in the May primary, and faces Christine Lewis, who got 23 percent, in the runoff.IBT, IAFF 1159, IAFF 1660JoeBuckforMetro.com

CLACKAMAS COUNTY

Clerk

Pamela White, communications director for Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, is challenging incumbent Sherry Hall, a Republican. Hall’s 15-year tenure has been marked by partisanship, multiple expensive screw-ups on ballots and voters guides, and a ballot-tampering case in which a county elections worker went to jail for filling in ballots for Republican candidatesNOLC, CWA, IBEW 48, IBT, UFCW, WFPPamela4Clerk.com

COLUMBIA COUNTY

Commissioner, Position 2

Henry Heimuller, the incumbent, is a former paramedic and transit coordinator NOLC, UFCWhenryheimuller.com

COOS COUNTY

Commissioner, Position 2

John Sweet, the incumbent, is a supporter of the proposed Jordan Cove liquid natural gas terminal. UFCW

LANE COUNTY

Commissioner, Position 5 (East)

Heather Buch, the owner of a property management company, is challenging Republican former Cottage Grove mayor Gary Williams, who is the incumbent because he was picked to fill Faye Stewart’s term. Buch walked the picket line in support of striking County workers and has strong union backing. Williams is backed by Seneca Jones Timber Company, a deep-pocketed funder of Republican campaigns. A win for Buch would eliminate an anti-union majority on the Lane County Commission.Lane County CLC, Lane Coos Curry Douglas Building Trades, AFSCME 2831, ATU, IBEW 280, IBT, IW, SEIU 503, SEIU 49, UBC 271, UFCW, WFPheatherbuch.com

MARION COUNTY

Commissioner, Position 1

Shelaswau Crier, a state police academy instructor, is a Democrat facing incumbent Republican Kevin Cameron, a restaurant owner and former state rep. ATU, UFCW, WFP VoteCrierForMarionCounty.org

CITY OF BEND

City Council, Position 5

CITY OF HILLSBORO

City Council Ward 2

Kyle Allen, incumbent, was a member of Teamsters 162 when he worked for UPS and a member of OPEIU 11. He also worked for Working America, where he started out as a canvasser.He currently works for Virginia Garcia Clinic. He faces two challengers. NOLC, IAFF, PCCFAPKyleAllen.org

Massene Mboupe, director of the International Leadership Academy, a small private French language school, once tried to unionize a previous employer with AFT. AFSCME, IAFF 1159, UFCWMasseneMboupForLakeOswego.com

CITY OF PORTLAND

26-201 (Portland Clean Energy Fund)

SUPPORT This measure would levy a 1 percent surcharge on the Portland sales of large retailers with over $1 billion in global sales, and use those funds to pay for local renewable energy and energy efficiency projects and for job training aimed at getting women, minorities, the disabled, and chronically underemployed into clean energy jobs.AFSCME 189, 88, 2505, 3336, 3580, ATU, IBT 206, ILWU 5, AFM 99, NALC 82, PAT, SEIU 49, 503, UBCPortlandCleanEnergyInitiative.com

26-200 (Portland Fair Elections)

SUPPORT This measure would amend the city charter to limit campaign contributions and expenditures for city office. Candidates could accept no more than $500 from an individual or from a political committee, and could loan their own campaign no more than $5,000. But they could accept unlimited amounts from small donor committees that take in contributions of $100 or less per individual per year, as well as any amount from a public campaign finance system. The measure would also limit independent expenditures to $5,000 per individual and $10,000 per political committee. ATU, NALCHonest-Elections.com

Jo Ann Hardesty was a Democratic state rep. from 1995 to 2000 (under her then-name Jo Ann Bowman) and got high marks from labor. She also served as executive director of the nonprofit Oregon Action, as an aide to Multnomah County Commissioner Beverly Stein, and as president of the NAACP. Her campaign has focused on housing affordability, homelessness, and police accountability. AFSCME 189, ATU 757, CWA 7901, ILWU, LiUNA 483, PAT, PCCFFAP/PCCFCE, PTE 17, SEIU 49, 503JoannForPortland.com

Legend

The acronyms below refer tostatewide or regional bodies unless a local number is listed.